# What program is used to edit a .swf file? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508 "2003-12-07T05:30:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Naive\_Theory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Naive\_Theory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Naive_Theory)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/1 "2003-12-07T05:30:55Z")
Hi, I’m looking to edit a .swf file. Specifically, I want to change the scrolling text on the left hand side of the following file [http://www.ambermusic.ca/frontpageOct05.swf](http://www.ambermusic.ca/frontpageOct05.swf) Is this as quick and easy as it ‘should’ be? ---
**Author:** ![ekow2kn3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecc23a/32.png) [@ekow2kn3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ekow2kn3)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 5:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/2 "2003-12-07T05:46:15Z")
shock wave flash Flash MX 2004… i think I dont know if you can change something already compiled or whatever, but its worth a shot > **[Adobe: Creative, marketing and document management solutions](https://www.adobe.com/)** > > Adobe is changing the world through digital experiences. We help our customers create, deliver and optimize content and applications. ---
**Author:** ![collinsc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@collinsc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/collinsc)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 6:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/3 "2003-12-07T06:03:09Z")
As far as I am aware, you will be unable to edit the .swf. What you are looking for is the original unexported .fla which is the working version of the Flash item. It is not like flipping some pixels on a jpeg ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2003, 6:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/4 "2003-12-07T06:49:41Z")
The solution may be to decompile it first, as this site - [http://www.19.5degs.com/swfeditor.php](http://www.19.5degs.com/swfeditor.php) - suggests. This site - [http://www.pizzinini.net/?category=8&item=37](http://www.pizzinini.net/?category=8&item=37) - has a freeware utility called swf2avi which allows you to convert the Flash file into an .avi file, which would be easier to import and edit in video editing software. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacinewas\_taken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@Thylacinewas\_taken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacinewas_taken)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/5 "2003-12-09T02:09:56Z")
You can download decompilers on Kazaa. I haven’t used one yet, but they sound pretty amazing. I’m assuming you need to use them with Flash. But I’m a little suspicious that you have the swf and not the Fla file, or any idea where it came from. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacinewas\_taken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@Thylacinewas\_taken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacinewas_taken)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/6 "2003-12-09T02:11:34Z")
(Suspicious that the file is made by someone else, so copyrighted) ---
**Author:** ![Naive\_Theory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Naive\_Theory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Naive_Theory)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/7 "2003-12-09T05:21:39Z")
Yes, the file was made by somebody else, for me. (Or, that is, a relative of mine who I do some low-end web work for.) ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/8 "2003-12-09T09:29:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Naive Theory \* > \*\*Yes, the file was made by somebody else, for me. (Or, that is, a relative of mine who I do some low-end web work for.) \*\* Then, the easiest would be to have this person send you the .fla file. You can get a 30-day trial version of Flash from Macromedia’s website and alter the file the way you like it. Converting to AVI would completely defeat the purpose of a flash animation - that it’s vector, not raster, based. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/9 "2003-12-09T21:28:20Z")
Erm… I work with .swf files all the time, and never have .fla files. I export from my video editing software to .wmv, then convert that to a .swf using more software called Flix Pro. I also know of a web person who designs animated banners in a totally different programe, then converts them to .swf (eg doesn’t use Macromedia). So it is possible to legitimately have .swf files with no .fla files. ---
**Author:** ![jovan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jovan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jovan)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/10 "2003-12-10T04:04:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by istara \* > \*\*Erm… I work with .swf files all the time, and never have .fla files. I export from my video editing software to .wmv, then convert that to a .swf using more software called Flix Pro. > > I also know of a web person who designs animated banners in a totally different programe, then converts them to .swf (eg doesn’t use Macromedia). > > So it is possible to legitimately have .swf files with no .fla files. \*\* Yes, of course, but my point is that by converting to AVI, you are rasterizing your originally vector-based animation. All vector info is lost. Which is not a good thing if all he wants to do is change some text. ---
**Author:** ![Naive\_Theory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Naive\_Theory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Naive_Theory)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/11 "2003-12-10T05:21:55Z")
Still having trouble. I’ve ‘decomplied’ the file as suggested, and the block of text that I want to change is apparently its own little swf file (who knew?). I can make a replacement for it fairly easily, but I don’t know how to put the thing back together again with the new block of text, and recompile it. The person(s) who made it aren’t all that easy to get in contact with. ---
**Author:** ![Thylacinewas\_taken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@Thylacinewas\_taken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thylacinewas_taken)\ **Post date:** [December 10, 2003, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-program-is-used-to-edit-a-swf-file/217508/12 "2003-12-10T05:25:23Z")
The person that sent it had the responsibility to make sure you could work on it, so I wouldn’t feel too bad about badgering them.